A newer generation of drugs, the so-called atypical anti-psychotics, is not necessarily proving more effective than their predecessors, according to recent trials, though their side effects are less debilitating.

Widely used drugs known as atypical antipsychotics–which include Zyprexa and AstraZeneca PLC's Seroquel–carry safety risks including weight gain and elevated blood sugar the companies have paid hundreds of millions of dollars to settle lawsuits alleging the drugs caused diabetes and other injuries.

In many cases, however, mental health professionals are not so much worried about the generic "overmedication" mentioned in media accounts as they are about certain new diagnoses, such as "Attenuated Psychosis Syndrome" and "Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder" leading to certain heavy-duty medications -- namely, atypical antipsychotics -- being prescribed to particular groups, such as young people.